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' FLEXIBLE COVER FOR TABLES, BLINDS, DESKS, &c.

No. 520,526. A Patented May 29, 1894.

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UNITED STATES oHAUN'cEY s. HoMER,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA, vASSIGrNOR TO MARY T. HOMER, OF SAME PLACE.

FLEXIBLE COVER FOR TABLES, BLINDS, DE SKS,'&C.

-SSII-ECIFICA'1IO1\T forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,526, datedMay 29, 1894. Application file-. January 31,1893. Serial No. 460,314.-(No model.)

To all whom/it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, OHAUNCEY S. HoMnR, a

l citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county ofWarren and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulFlexible Cover for Tables, Desks, Blinds, &c., of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to improvements in flexible covers for use inextension tables, inside blinds, roll-top desks, and other articles.

The objects of my invention are to cheapen and simplify the constructionof these covers; to render them flexible and adapted to readily glideover the ways in which they'are mounted and to follow their disposition;to reduce the frictional wear of the same and hence increase theirflexibility and durability, and to so construct them as when drawn up oropened the said cover will form a practically continuous unbroken smoothsurface, the interstices between the sections or strips beingpractically closed to prevent the entrance of dust, dirt, dac., and tobe practicallyv unobservable; and finally to provide a convenient meansfor Stringing the sections composing the flexible cover whereby they mayexpand and shrink and yet remain sufficiently tight and under propertension.

With these various objects in view the invention consists in certainfeatures of construction hereinafter speciied and particula'rly pointedout in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:-Figure l is a perspective view of anextension table of that class employing a central stationary section andopposite movable ends, the same being connected by intermediate flexiblecovers, the covers in the present instance being constructed inaccordance with my invention and being employed in a table of this classmerelyY for the purpose of illustration. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view of the table, the exible cover beingthereon. I Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of the flexible cover,the same being adapted for use in a table, inside blind, desk, dto. Fig.i is a longitudinal central section of the table. Fig. 5 is a transversesection of the construction in Fig. 3.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

In constructing the flexible coverI employ a series of alternatingstrips and rods, the strips being designated as 1 and the rods as 2. Thestrips have their lower corners `provided with curvedlongitudinally-disposed grooves 3, 'which are very slightly greater thanthe quadrant of a circle, and their upper corners are very slightlyrounded as indicated at 4. Between these strips or alternating with thesame, the rods 2 are, as be fore stated, located, the said rods beingadapted to tit nicely within the grooves 3,. and in length are slightlygreater than that of the strips so that the ends of the rods extendbeyond the ends of the strips and form bearings or journals 5, which aredesigned to take into the grooves in the sides of a desk, or in thesides of awindow-frame when used as an inside-blind, or in the oppositesides of the Vendsections of a table when used in an extensiontable.

For the purpose of illustrating the manner of operating the cover Ihave, as before stated, illustrated the same in connection with anextension-table, but such application I would have it understood ismerely for the purpose of illustration, as the cover is as well adaptedto the various other purposes, some of which I have herein mentioned, asto tables, though it is principally intended for the latter.

7 designates the opposite end-sections or boxes of a table which, in thepresent instance, consists of the opposite sides 8, the end-pieces 9connecting the same, the sta'- tionary top-piece 10, whose inner lowercorner is cut away as shown, and thebottom piece ll, the latter beingprovided with the supporting-legs 12. If desired a cross-piece 13 may beinterposed between the opposite side pieces for the purpose ofstrengthening them and preventing them from spreading or contracting.The inner surfaces of the sides 8 of the end-sections are provided ywithgrooves 14, and the same begin at the inner ends near the upper edges ofsaid sides, extend outward toward the ends of the table,

are curved and doubled upon themselves, re-

turning toy the inner ends where they terminate. The distancebetwe'enthe sides 8 agrees from which depends the centralv supportingleg 18.

Mounted upon the stationary slides 16 is the central-section of thecover, and it is preferably formed of a plurality of sections or pieces,in this instance two, designated as 19. The outer edges of these centralcoversections are, like the strips l, provided with similar grooves 3 sothat they,receive the adjacent cylindrical-rods 2 of the flexiblecoversections. The meeting edges of the sections 19, like those of thesections 1, are upon their upper inner corners slightly rounded orreduced, as indicated at 20, so that any inequalities between thesections 19 are compensated for and when the hand is passed over thejoint existing between said sections no appreciable unevenness isdiscernible.

It will be seen that when the cylindrical rods are in position betweenthe strips 1 their lower portions are exposed or extend slightly belowthe plane of the under sides of said strips 1, and hence whether theyare extended between the strips 1 or not they take the wear from theunder side of strips 1, reduce the amount of friction,and hence renderthe cover capable of being slid with greater facility, less rumble ornoise, and with less wear.

Various means will suggest themselves for connecting in a iiexiblemanner the strip and rod-sections of the flexible cover, but I haveherein illustrated one simple method which I will now proceed todescribe.

At suitable points the rods and strips are provided with openings 22 and23, respect- `ively,` the same being located at corresponding. points,but those of the strips being formed a slight distance nearer to thesurface of said strips than are those of the rods near their outersides. The opening is continued in the sections 19 of the -centralstationary cover-section of the table, as shown at 24, and finallyterminates in recesses 25 formedin the under sides of said centralcoversections. In this instance, two of these sets of openings areprovided, but it will be obvious-that more than two may be employed ifso. desired. Through this series of rods and sections a flexiblewire-connection is passed, thesame being designated as 26, thecontinuations 24 in the sections 19 terminate in eyebolts 27, which arelocated in the recesses 25, are passed through rubber cushions 28, whichin turn are impinged upon by clamping nuts 29, so that any expansion orcontraction of the rods or strips may be permitted `without effecting abinding action of the same at their joints or in any way obstructing theflexibility of the cover-section.

By reason of the fact that some of the sec.-` tions are cylindrical orround upon theirunder sides and project below thehorizontal planes ofother sections I prevent the sharp edges of such other sections fromcatching on the table slides as they would do if permitted to restdirectly upon them; also there is permitted. a rocking or rolling motionwhen movingaround curves or any obstructions that might lie in theirpath, and thus it will be seen that I reduce to considerable extent thefrictional wear that would otherwise occur.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it will be seen that I have provided a cheap and simpleconstruction of liexible cover, the same being adapted for use intables, inside blinds, desks, &c., and when in position is adapted toreadily operate with a minimum noise and friction; furthermore, that thejoints between the sections are such as to avoid accumulation of dustand to form, practically, a smooth, unbroken, continuous surface.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim is 1. The herein describedfiexible cover for extension-tables, inside-blinds and desks, the sameconsisting of a series of alternately arranged iiat strips andcylindrical rods, the strips having theirlower corners provided withgrooves for loosely receiving the rods, and the under sides of thelatter extending below the plane of the strips, and ilexible connectionspassed through perforations in the rods and strips, substantially asspecified.

2. The herein described improved flexible cover for extension-tables,inside-blinds and desks, the same consisting of a series of alternatelyarranged rods and strips, the adjacent edges of the strips being groovedto receive the rods, said, rods being longer than the strips andextending beyond the same to form bearing-ends, substantially asspecified.

3. The herein described improved flexible cover for extension-tables,inside-blinds and desks, the same consisting of an alternate arrangementof dat strips and cylindrical rods, such strips having their uppercorners slightly rounded and their lower corners grooved and receivingthe rods, said rods and strips being provided with perforations, and therods having their lower sides extending below those of the strips andflexible connecting devices passing through the perforations,substantially as specified.

4. The herein described flexible cover for extension tables, insideblinds, and desks, the same consisting of a series of sections looselyconnected, a plurality of said sections having their lower sides roundedand `extending below the remaining sections to form bearing surfaces,substantially as specified.

IOO

IIO

5. The herein described flexible cover for In testimony that I claim theforegoing as 1o extensiontables, inside blinds, desks, &o., the` my ownI have hereto affixed my signature in sameoonsisting of a series o,`fsections loosely the presence of two Witnesses. jointed together, aplurality of said sections 5 having their lower sides extending belowthe CHAUNCEY S. "HOMER remaining sections and their ends projectingbeyond those of said remaining sections form- Witnesses: ingbearing-surfaces, substantially as speei- G. E. HOMER,

fied.

